Bayan Baru Toastmasters Are The Champion

Bayan Baru Toastmasters emerged as Champions at the just concluded Division N Humorous Speech Contest 2008 held today.

Group photo of Bayan Baru Toastmasters - the largest club contingent to support witness the Division N Contests and full support to our club contestant Michael Xavier who was dual N2 Champion in Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contest. It takes a village to raise a child, it takes a club to groom a speech champion.



Heartiest congratulations to the newly crowned Michael Xavier - Division N Humorous Speech Contest 2008 Champion. His speech title "What A Dumb Idea".

Michael also achieved a second win as the 1st Runner up in Division N Evaluation contest 2008.

More details on contest....

Note: This is one better than last year for Bayan Baru Toastmasters and Area N-2.

Last year, I was the Division N Evaluation Champion and Divison N Humorous Speech 2nd runner-up. That record is now broken and history...

Penang Seagate Toastmasters Are The Champion

Left to Right: Club President Doris Foo, Club Supporter, Devigaamani & Audrey

Penang Seagate Toastmasters (Area N-6) emerged as Champions at today's Division N Evaluation Contest 2008.

Audrey Cheah and Devigaamani Sigamani were both Area N-6 Winners competiting in the Division N Evaluation and Humorous Speech Contest respectively.

It takes a village to raise a child, it takes a club to groom a speech champion.




Heartiest congratulations to Audrey Cheah of Penang Seagate - the newly crowned Division N Evaluation Speech Contest 2008 Champion. Next Bali...

More details on contest....

Venue of Division N Humorous Speech and Evaluation Speech Contests, October 25 Saturday afternoon at Intel Penang (PG9)

NOTE:
Just received this email and thought I post it here to help the publicity. Map shows location of PG 9 (It is not same location as last year's venue PG12).

The "roundabout" is really small. You can park at the mult-storey car park but it is a 10 minutes walk away or find a parking spot at PG9.

As there are 7 Areas this term in Division N, there will be up to 7 Humorous Speeches, 1 test speaker and 7 Evaluations which is a great value for money for RM10 with free parking inside Intel.

Warning:

The email only mentioned that registration starts at 1pm. Based on previous events, there will be waiting time before actual time of contest begin. Will it be 1:30pm, 1:45pm or 2pm - just speculating.

Anyway better to arrive early if you are coming to this venue for the first time and take opportunity to get to know other "early bird" Toastmasters.

---------------------------------------------------------
Division N Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contest 2008/2009

Time: 1.00pm - 5.00pm
(Registration starts from 1pm)

Venue: Intel Pg-9, Bayan Lepas FIZ, Phase 3, 11900 Penang (attached is the road map to Intel Pg-9)

Ticket price : RM 10 per Pax

It is on 7 days count down now!!

Hurry, Grab your ticket while it is Hot and Going Fast!!!

You may be wondering how are you going to get your ticket..
It is simple and fast, you will just need to apply the 3 simple steps

1.) Grab your cell-phone
2.) Give your Area Governor a call
3.) Collect from your Area Governor or

you may skip all these by contacting Terence Lee at terence_lee13@yahoo.com or 6012-5516800 or

you may contact the Contest Organizing Chairman Frank Yap at tienloy.yap@venture.com.sg

You have 3 simple steps, 3 way of getting your ticket, Hurry, take your action now! Thank you. Terence Lee

Area Governor Visit - What's Up?

Tonight, our N2 Area Governor Khor Siang Kheng (Intel Penang Toastmasters) visited our Bayan Toastmasters Club meeting. His main purpose was to promote and sell tickets for this October 25 Division N Humorous Speech and Evaluation Speech Contest at Intel Penang.

This term Area N2 consists of 4 clubs only - Bayan Baru Toastmasters, Intel Penang, Intel Speak Up and MAS Tanjong. PDC Toastmasters has been moved out to another Area.

Summary of AG w.r.t. Bayan Baru Toastmasters: "BBTMC is a role model club."

What is the purpose of an Area Governor's visit?

It is a requirement for an AG to visit a club every six months and file a report to Toastmasters International through the District Governor. It includes whether the Club is holding regular club meetings, have a minimum membership of charter strength of at least 20 members and working towards achieving the Distinguished Club Program as well as identifying club members who will be interested in being future District Officers.



In 2007-08, in the N2 Area Council, Siang Kheng was unanimously elected as the 2008-09 N2 Area Governor. In 2006-07, he lost the election to Past N2 Area Governor Koay Kah Hin (Bayan Baru Toastmasters). So if you are keen to be a District Officer, do not worry, you can run again and again and eventually, you will get the opportunity to play this role.

Bottomline, an AG is to help a Club, and only when help is needed, to achieve the Club mission for her members. It is also an excellent opportunity for an AG to learn better communication and leadership skills. Of being a positive motivator and able to discern and appreciate the different club cultures and different ways of doing things by each Club while sharing best practices.

Besides being the Induction Officer to install this term's Club Officers, AG is involved in Club Officer Training and organizing Area level Contests. Strives to achieve President's Distinguished Area Award.

What do this year AG Khor Siang Kheng, in addition to above, hope to achieve further as if above list is not enough for a full time unpaid job.

As I have known Siang Kheng for umpteen years, I will be sending him some easy and hard questions and will post his reply here.

1) What are your goals for Area N2 this term?
2) Where are the areas we need to improve?
3) There are only 4 clubs now in N2 Area, any plans to charter new clubs. If so, where and when?
4) What are your personal goals as Area Governor? Achieve your DTM?
5) How would you like to be remembered after you have completed your term.

If you have any questions you would like to ask the N2 AG, please post them here...

October 25 Update:
Met N2 AG Khor Siang Kheng at the Division N Humorous Speech & Evaluation Contest at Intel PG-9 today. Did a quick face-to-face interview. Here is the summary:

Siang Kheng is married with 2 sons and the "Building Owner PG-8" in Intel Penang.

His goal is to achieve President's Disinguished Area. He hopes that Bayan Baru and Intel Penang will achieve President's Distinguished Club again and for Intel Speak Up and Mas Tanjong to achieve Distinguished Club or better.

Personally, he is going to complete his DTM - serving as Area Governor is one of the requirements.

Siang Kheng plans to conduct a Youth Leadership Program and charter a new corporate club by March or earlier.

Obama vs McCain Table Topics Session

Photo taken from BBC News

My personal reaction while watching live the last of the third debate between Senator Barrack Obama and Senatohr John McCain was answering questions sitting facing each other around a table.

How did they fare as table topics speakers?

Initially both have to overcome nervousness:

Obama: I felt he tried to keep himself looking cool and focused. Seldom smile, serious. Lots of ehs when he struggles.

McCain: Tried to look cheerful and smile and even laugh. His eyes wink a lot and he always seem to make his eyes bigger. Always using the paper and pen to give the impression that he is taking down notes.

Obama: Flashed his rare all teeth bared smile when John McCain made a claim he does not agreed. Based his argument of facts and numbers. More logical.

McCain: Used his hand gestures liberally. Like to bring out names of others and tell stories. More personal.

How the first Mandarin Toastmasters in Penang started..

First Club Meeting - Newspaper report: Lim Ah Lek of JB Mandarin Toastmasters (seated far right), Division N Governor Jayie Tan (seated far left), Protem President Ong Poh Hin (standing, second from right)




Charter Night Photo @Bukit Jambul Country Club, Penang
(Front Row) Club Sponsor SL Liew, Guest-of-Honor YB Koay Kah Huah, Charter President Ong Poh Hin, Club Sponsor Margaret Chan
(Back, left to right) Mah Swee Chin, Lim Seng Tean, Quah Kean Lim, Emily Tan, Poh Bak Lean, Amos Teoh, Ooi Poh Tin, Koay Kah Hin were all charter members.

I have just wandered into the Bayan Baru Mandarin Toastmasters Club website and am impressed by the achievements of the Club over the years.

Back in 1998, I had tried without success to ask bilingual Toastmasters to form the first Mandarin Club in Penang. I had seen how dynamic Mandarin Toastmasters Clubs were in Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak and Johor.

Although my Mandarin was rudimentary, I decided to take it upon myself to establish the first Mandarin speaking Toastmasters Club in Penang. I felt strongly it was a worthwhile venture.

With the help of Margaret Chan from the English Speaking Bayan Baru Toastmasters (7764-51), we advertised in the local newspapers. One of the first persons who called me was Ooi Poh Tin.

She asked me in Mandarin whether it was a public speaking or social club. "Shi bu shi ju le bu?" I replied "Bu shi". At that time, my Mandarin was still not so good. I thought she asked me "Jiao Yi Bu" - whether I was from the Education department. And so I said "No" but invited her to attend our first demonstration meeting to find out more.

The first demonstration meeting was held at Panther's Club, Relau in Penang Island which was located across the road from PISA. Arrangement was made for a Chinese newspaper reporter to attend our first demonstration meeting. But how was I going to explain the role of SAA or Table Topics session in Mandarin?

I had the Mandarin version of C&L manual but I wanted to put the best foot forward to the news media. Luckily as District Governor, I knew some of the Mandarin Toastmasters Clubs. Lim Ah Lek of Johor Bahru Mandarin came to the rescue and took a bus from JB to Penang to be present at our first demonstration meeting and to professionally answer all the questions asked by the guests and newspaper reporter.







We had members in our Bayan Baru Toastmasters who were Mandarin speaking and they all chipped in by becoming charter members too. Even our outgoing Bayan Baru President Janet Lim, incoming President Joachim Xavier and Rosalind Chan who did not speak Mandarin joined as Charter Members to help us get the minimum twenty members to start the Club.

Bayan Baru Mandarin (7050-51) was chartered on June 1998. For several years, many of us were dual members of both Bayan Baru English and Mandarin Clubs. I even completed up to C&L P5 in Mandarin. Both clubs still meet at the same location, now at PSDC on Thursdays but on different weeks but both clubs are no longer Siamese twins and have chartered each own independent separate journeys. Perhaps one day, we can reestablished closer ties again including waiving of guest fees or joint meetings.

Now back to 1998 again, at the Bayan Baru Mandarin Charter night, as the Club Sponsor, I had to give a speech in Mandarin. Again, Lim Ah Lek helped me through fax to write a splendid speech in Mandarin. However, my delivered speech was more impromptu than the text. It was like giving my icebreaker speech. Fortunately, the audience were very supportive and there was no YouTube then.




Here are some milestones.

Despite initial objections, I made a bold proposal to move Bayan Baru Mandarin from N2 area to be aligned with Division A Mandarin Clubs in Johor. That helped to accelerate the growth of Mandarin Clubs in Penang with Officer training in Mandarin, a Mandarin speaking Area Governor as well as inter-Mandarin club exchanges.

Eventually, Division M in District 51 was formed for all Mandarin Clubs covering Singapore, Peninsular Malaysia and Hong Kong. Mandarin Clubs in Sarawak and Sabah chose to remain in their own Divisions.

Another milestone that I am glad I was involved was this. When I was LGET, with the initiative from Lim Ah Lek and support of the 5th JB Annual Convention OC ET Lee, we officially formalized the Mandarin workshops/contests into District 51 Convention program.

I also helped to submit to Toastmasters International 3 more advanced manuals in Mandarin that was translated by the Mandarin Toastmasters Clubs in Singapore.





Eventually, I hope, although there are current obstacles, there will be a separate Mandarin Speaking District in Asia like the Spanish Speaking District of Mexico. I think the mindset that "not more than one District over one geographical region" can be changed. As Toastmasters, we need to adapt with the changing reality of the global community as Mandarin gains more prominence.

Though no longer active in the Mandarin speaking Clubs, I have benefited from the opportunity to deliver speeches in my begining Mandarin. It gave me much confidence when I later worked in China.

To Bayan Baru Mandarin Toastmasters and all other Mandarin Toastmasters Clubs in Penang - "Jia You"

Stocks DOWN, Toastmasters UP?

Will the fall in stock market have an adverse negative effect on Toastmasters membership growth and renewal.

When there is uncertainty, folks will go for certainty and the regular Toastmsters club meeting can be very reassuring.

I still remember during the 1997 financial crisis when I attended the newly chartered Manjung Toastmaster Club in Sitiawan, Perak. A businessman spoke that when the economy was great, he had no time at all. But with the slow down, during this downtime he had more time for himself for self-development to be ready for the next boom time. That was why he was joining Toastmasters.

As a non-profit volunteer educational organization, Toastmasters is value for money. If your club membership is at the high end of RM240 every six months, that is only RM20 per meeting or RM10 per meeting hour which cost less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks or a movie ticket with pop corns.

Of course, if you had not been attending meetings, Toastmasters membership might be the first thing to cut. After all, the monthly magazines arrived but were never read. Think again as your continued membership is a small but important financial and moral support to a non-profit club that helps others who are trying to improve themselves and others. Alternatively, you can be active again and encourage the club to soldier on. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.

At Toastmasters meetings, I have heard members who talked about how they had overcome their difficulties in personal life or business failures. It can be a great place of sharing and caring, for catharsis and theraputic healing.

Toastmasters is also where you can enhance your interviewing skills or networking or a highlight in your resume if you are seeking a new job or in between jobs.

Once a Table Topicsmaster lamented all the problems that she was facing at work, at home, with her boyfriend and her own future plans. She put each as table topic item and heard feedback, support and advice from fellow club members.

Listening to other personal stories at club meetings can be very motivating and inspiring. And while listening, you may come up with your own great ideas and get energized.

So when the stocks are down, keep your chin up. It is no time to stay away from your Club but to revitalise and make the most of your Club membership.

Evaluation is an Art

Have you ever heard of these comments before?
a) "Evaluation is the cornerstone of the Toastmasters program"
b) "Evaluate to motivate"
c) "Evaluate the speech, not the speaker"
d) "Don't whitewash"
e) "Give specific practical ways on how the speaker can improve"
f) "I am here to cut and polish you until you become a diamond"
g) "I hope you can rehearse more but anyway it was a great speech, congratulations and move on to your next project"

Evaluation is a skill and an art that we perform and we observes others others performing it at every club meeting.



It involves careful listening, quick thinking and impromtu speaking.

If we remind ourselves that our primary purpose is to encourage the speaker to continue speaking and to improve further, half the battle is won.

Evaluation speech contest is the best place to see how a great evaluation is done as the contestant have to demonstrate all the judging criteria of being sensitive and positive yet analytic and specific.


But be wary that it can be overdone because the all evaluation contestants are in a combative and competitive mode to get the most of judges' attention and points.

At the club meeting, the evaluation can be tailored more closely to the specific and personal needs and speaking experience level of each speaker.

For example, a speaker could be a last minute replacement for another member who suddenly cannot attend the meeting. Consideration must be given that the speaker had not much time to rehearse.

In another situation when visiting another club, you were suddenly given the honor of evaluating a speaker that you have not met before. While this is a golden opportunity for the speaker to get a fresh and valuable outsider independent feedback , if not careful, it can be like stepping on a landmine.

What if the project speech delivered was not well rehearsed or failed to meet any of the project objectives. Should the evaluator be diplomatic, avoid any strong medicine and use neutral statements. Or be sincere and honest.

One possible way is to test the water. Ask the audience and project speaker leading questions during your evaluation to check if the audience and speaker share your sentiments.

A more open and direct evaluation can always be done on a one-on-one level with the speaker after the meeting.

Remember that members join Toastmasters to help improve their self-confidence. Everyone can have a bad hair day.

The art of evaluation is a constant mix and balance of maintaining the self-esteem as well as helping the speaker to grow further.

If you have not evaluated before, you can start by being the Ah Counter. You will realize soon that it is not how many Ah you caught but how you deliver your report. Establish eye contact, use humor and don't cause embarrassment when announcing the one with the highest number of ahs.

If you want to know who are the experienced evaluators who can help you, look no further. There is a Division N Evaluation Contest this October 25th Saturday afternoon in Penang. Ask your Club President or Area Governor or Division Governor for details of venue and time.

Why Clean Jokes Only, No Blue Ones

When it comes to Table Topics, new Toastmasters are preached, "Don't talk about politics, religion, race and sex".

The famous Beatle John Lennon who sang about a world peace would surely agree with these exclusions of "no politics, no religion, no race" except perhaps for "no sex".

But nothing makes the audience burst into laughter when we touched on the off-color topics and embarrasing taboos like restrooms, human anatomy and undergarments. Why are we depriving ourselves as Toastmasters?

Well, everyone seemed to laughing and having a great time about the fat woman, the bald man and the lying lawyer. Except for these three persons in the audience.

The old cliche is that it is all right to joke about yourself but not at the expense of others, agree?

Yes, it may be all right to make unflattering remarks about oneself if one is fat, bald or always connying, deceiving and lying. But suddenly all the humor has disappeared.

Who would want to go on stage and make a fool of themselves except for those highly paid comedians and television show hosts.

Perhaps the exceptions are those valiant Toastmasters vying for those priceless trophies that says "Humorous Speech Contest - Champion, 1st Runner-up, 2nd Runner-up" and high quality printed paper of "Certificate of Participation"

If you go the book store, all the biggest jokes are usually blue or highly discriminatory. In the end, many of us Toastmasters will go for the "safer topics " like "Before vs After Marriage", "Mars vs Venus" humor which may be straight from the internet but the winning ones are those cleverly repackaged, personalized with new found twists.

Dr. Ralph C Smedly once wrote that people will remember by what you say.
(I guess that extend to what you write on the blogs too. A gentle reminder to myself).

Some "enlightened" contest judges may mark down the judging points of contestants if their jokes are too explicit, too graphic or too insensitive.

Here the Chief Judge during the Judges Briefing can provide a balancing role. There is nothing in the contest rule for disqualification of "hilarous but real gutter" humor. After all, humor, in all forms, is another freedom of expression.

One may argue that everyone must be over 18 to join Toastmasters International. So we are sharing our humor with only a matured adult audience during club meetings.

But remember that our Humorous Speech Contests are open to the public of all walks of life, all ages and all sizes and mindsets.

There lies the challenge of a great humorist to understand the audience and to tickle their funny bones without being offensive to almost all.

Good luck to all this year's Humorist Speech Contestants. You will need it, LOL.

Toastmasters Abbreviation & Lingo

Below are Toastmasters acronymns. Most are used internationally and others locally in Penang. Many probably confuse first time visitors to our clubs:

ACB - Advanced Communicator Bronze
ACS - Advanced Communicator Silver
ACG - Advanced Communicator Gold
AGM - Annual General Meeting
AH - (Unneccessary verbal utterances as pause fillers)
AL - Advanced Leader
ALB - Advanced Leader Bronze
ALS - Advanced Leader Silver
ATM - Able Toastmaster (Automatic Teller Machine, Ain't Talk Much)
ATMB - Advanced Toastmaster Bronze
ATMS - Advanced Toastmaster Silver
ATMG - Advanced Toastmaster Gold

BTM - (Butterworth Toastmasters Club)
BBTMC - (Bayan Baru Toastmasters Club)

CC - Competent Communicator
C&L - Competent and Leadership Manual
CL - Competent Leader
COT - Club Officer Training
CTM - Competent Toastmaster (Can't Talk Much)

DAP - Distinguished Area Program
DCP - Distinguished Club Program
DDP - Distinguished District Program, Distinguished Division Program
DG - District Governor
DOT - District Officer Training
DPRO - District Public Relations Officer
DS - District Secretary
DT - District Treasurer
DTM - Distinguished Toastmaster (Don't Talk Much, Datuk Toastmaster)
DVG - Division Governor

EGM - Extraordinary General Meeting
EXCO - Executive Committee

FIZ - (Free Industrial Zone)

GE - General Evaluator
GOH - Guest-of-Honor

ID - International Director
IP - International President
IPP - Immediate Past President
IPDG - Immediate Past District Governor

KISS - (Keep it short and simple, Keep it short and sweet)

LGET - Lieutenant Governor of Education & Training
LGM - Lieutenant Governor of Marketing
LTM - Lady Toastmaster (gender bias, no longer used)

MC - Master of Ceremony (Emcee)

OC - Organizing Chairman, Organizing, Chairperson, Organizing Chair

PDA - President's Distinguished Area
PDC - President's Distinguished Club Award (Penang Development Corporation Toastmasters Club)
PDD - President's Distinguished District, President's Distinguished Division
PDG - Past District Governor
PDVG - Past Division Governor
PAG - Past Area Governor
POET - (Project Number, Objectives, Evaluator, Speech Title)
PID - Past International Director
PP - Past President
PSDC - (Penang Skills Development Center)

ROC - Registrar of Company
ROS - Registrar of Society

SAA - Sergent at arms (Single and Available)

TI - Toastmasters International
TLI - Toastmasters Leadership Institute
TM - Toastmaster
TMC - Toastmasters Club
TME - Toastmaster of the Evening
TOD - Toastmaster of the Day
TOE - Toastmaster of the Evening
TOM - Toastmaster of the Meeting
TTM - Table Topicsmaster
TTE - Table Topics Evaluator

VIP - Very Important Person (VIP Reserved seating)
VPE - Vice President of Education
VPM - Vice President of Membership
VPPR - Vice President of Public Relations

WHQ - World Headquarters
WOD - Word ot the Day

YB - (Yang Berhormat)
YLP - Youth Leadership Program

Note: If you have any to add to above, just post under comments. Thanks.